Wilderness to Water. Reflections regarding God's faithfulness, character, love, and the gospel of Jesus Christ. An examination of God's grace and power through meditative prose, poetry, original drawings and full-color photographs.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”—Colossians 2:8

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”—2 Timothy 4: 1-4

I read recently of a Presbyterian minister who proudly proclaimed that he doesn’t believe in God. His “core belief” and message?....His “philosophy”?..... What does he preach to his flock ?

He explained things this way:

“Personally,… I don’t believe in God as a supernatural agent or force…. I utilize the symbol “God” in worship. This may be viewed as cheating but since our cultural tradition is filled with images of God, it is near impossible to avoid. As a symbol, I’m not yet ready to let go of God. It is a product of myth-making — I know that — but the symbol incorporates many of our human aspirations. I find that “God” for me is shorthand for all the things for which I long: beauty, truth, healing, and justice. They’re all expressed by this symbol and the stories about it…..

“Someone quipped that my congregation is BYOG: Bring Your Own God. I use that and invite people to “bring their own God” — or none at all. While the symbol “God” is part of our cultural tradition, you can take it or leave it or redefine it to your liking. That permission to be theological do-it-yourselfers is at the heart of belief-less Christianity.”

The charm of post-modern incoherence.
Cognitive dissonance as religion.
Delusion as truth.
Confusion as worship.

It’s the “Church of Well, Whatever”!

Here’s a preacher with a problem
In “The Church the World Applauds”
He’s fulfilling current fashion,
Scoffing at the Living God.

He’s a living contradiction,
Mocking now the Living the Word,
Priests of Baal have nothing on him…
As he preaches The Absurd.

Everybody’s now a Christian!
Everybody “qualifies”!
All you really need is “faith” now,
Even if it’s faith in lies.

It’s the deconstructed gospel
From “The Church That Lost Its Head”…
It’s evolved from simply lukewarm
Then to absolutely dead.

It’s “The Church of Truth Suppression”
It’s the gospel in a ditch…
It’s “The Church of Blind Delusion”
In the season of the witch.

It’s “The Church of Have-It-Your-Way”
(With a pickle on the side.)
It’s “The Church of Hold-the-Mayo”,
On this broad way…VERY wide!

It’s “The Church of Useful Fiction”
It’s “The Church of Fairy Tale”
It’s “The Church That Aims-To-Please-You”…
With indulgences for sale.

It’s “The Church of What’s the Difference?”,
It’s “The Church of Do-Your-Thing!”
It’s ”The Church of Dumb ‘n’ Dumber”,
It’s “The Church of Satan’s Sting”.

It’s the “Church of Well, Whatever”!
“Church of Anybody’s Guess”,
It’s “The Church of Gnostic Nuance”
Where there’s nothing to confess.

It’s the “Church of Take-or-Leave It”,
It’s the “Church of Whoop-ti-Do”,
It’s the “Church of I AM Special!”
Church of “Hey! What Else is New?”

It’s “The Church of Very Shallow”
It’s “The Church of Really Grand!”
Where there’s constant celebration
Of Philosophies of Man.

It’s “The Church of Flesh Enamored”
Where, of course, No Fall Allowed!
It’s “The Church of High-Falootin’”
For the very, VERY Proud.

It’s “The Church of Constant Progress”,
“Fellowship of Dark ‘n’ Light”,
“Church of Idol Speculation”
“Church of No-Wrong…and No Right”.

It’s “The Church of Make-Believing”
It’s “The Church of Fun-Galore”,
It’s “The Church of Compromises”,
(The church you’ve been wishing for!)

It’s the “Church of Utter Nonsense”
And of “Hey! Who Really Cares?!”
It’s “The Church of Truth- Evolving”
Until everything is “fair”!

It’s “The Church of See-No-Evil”
“Church of Big-Smiles-All- Around”,
It’s “The Church of Pollyanna”,
(It’s where butterflies abound!)

“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4: 3-4